iPad+2+Review

Finally can type on the iPad a generation later. Hope you enjoy this review. I will have to edit from a computer (isn't almost every electronic a computer?), but the rest is from my iPad. In the fall I will have added how it is with iOS 5.

Size and Weight Comparison
Last generation weighed 1.5 pounds, while 2nd gen. feels much lighter, even though being only 0.2 pounds pounds lighter. Now the iPad has the same screen size, but is definitely thinner than last generation.

Just like last time, I'll review individual apps, but first a couple of new features.

Cameras
Apple said themselves: the cameras were meant for taking video. I agree. The picture quality is simply terrible. Video on the other hand is great, and should be, considering it's HD.

Speed
Not really a feature, but worth talking about. The speed is definitely better from last generation. Apps, websites, and more load in seconds (videos and websites may be slower because of size and Internet connection).

That's all the new features. Now on to new pre-loaded apps.

Photo Booth
Now one of the funnest Mac apps comes to iPad. It doesn't have the backgrounds, such as rollercoaster, but is still fun. Any picture you take flips. For example, if you're taking a picture and a flower is on the right side of your screen, then when you look at it it will be on the left.

I may get GarageBand (once I have some money again), so expect that to be added in the future.

The other pre-loaded apps haven't changed at all. So I'm going to talk aout apps you can buy.

On the iPad you can buy not only iPad apps, but iPhone and iPod touch apps too. Sometimes there will be iPad versions of iPhone/iPod touch apps, which may add new features and can be more expensive. iPhone/iPod touch apps will have a button in a corner to change it to iPad size. Some apps are made for iPhone/iPod touch and iPad, indicated by a plus sign.

Here's Apple's first iPad 2 commercial titled "We Believe" media type="youtube" key="tyEpaPEbjzI" height="390" width="640" Here's a link to a [|website]. Someone gives a short description about what they like about this ad.

Here's the second ad. media type="youtube" key="Um4gLMZDXkA" height="390" width="640"

Here's the third ad. [|click here] media type="youtube" key="TFFkK2SmPg4" height="390" width="640"

=iOS 5= Here's avideo demonstrating iOS 5. Check back in the fall for what I have to say about iOS 5. media type="youtube" key="ZkWokTEYwtA" height="390" width="640"

I'm sorry if this is a disappointing review, but not much has changed. Maybe once they announce iOS 5 I'll add on. Also if anything I find useful pops up, I will write about it. Please comment.

Nicolas, I thought this was an excellent review. Dead-on from my limited exposure to the iPad 2 (and from what I've seen online and on TV). I don't think your review is disappointing at all ... the disappointment is more from Apple's lack of "leap forward" ... no retinal display, the low-res camera, etc.

Would you suggest buying it for a first-time tablet buyer or would you suggest waiting until next year's version?

-Jon Barber twitter.com/@hoosjon

Thank you. I also think that Apple should have added more. Next generation I hope to see retinal display, better cameras, and maybe an SD card slot.

As for your question, it depends on what you want. If you want to use it for mail, web, and just other apps, I'd buy it because it's fast. If you want to take pictures (the video is in HD), then wait for next generation. Otherwise I'd go for it. I hope to hear more from you.

Nicolas

Thanks! Due to money issues, it might be a while before I can get one anyway .... might be worth the wait. I appreciate your input! -JB 13018739541301873954

﻿Nicolas, I found your review to be really helpful. I have the original iPad and was wondering if it would be worth the money to get the new iPad2. Although I would like to have iMovie and Garageband on mine, I think I will wait for the next version. I don't like that the camera is so poor. Ifind it really interesting that the video is HD and not the camera. Why do you think Apple did that?

~Ann Leaness twitter.com/@aleaness

Ann,

If I were you, I'd also wait for next generation. And I have good reason. Sony is making the next cameras for iPhone or iPod touch. These could apparently be 8-megapixel. So if they would put that in the iPad 3, that would be great.

I also wonder why the quality is different when taking pictures. Apple never released how many megapixels the cameras were, so I guess it was either good video or good pictures.

I hope to hear more from you, Nicolas

Nicholas, Thanks for responding! Have you checked out the Atomic Browser App? It offers tabbed browsing. Ann

I just looked at the app store to check it out. Thank you for telling me about it. It looks great, so I may just buy it. Nicolas Great review Nicolas. I hope to read in the future your perspective on some of the non-Apple tablets that are coming out. Samsung and Motorola both have new tablets out there and many more are on the way. I'm always curious to hear about comparisons between brands. I wonder if you think any of them will be a better tool then the iPad.

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">-Mike Craddock <span style="color: #800080; font-family: Georgia,serif;">twitter.com/mpcraddock

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">I heard there's also a tablet called the Blackberry Playbook. All these tablets are smaller than the iPad, and of course run on Android. I hope there's someplace where can test the Motorola Xoom or Samsung Galaxy, that way I can compare them to the iPad. Otherwise I'll just have to gather information to compare. I do know from a comparison conducted by someone else that the iPad 2 did not crash unlike Android tablets during video tests. (They had them on an endless loop for testing). I also hope to hear more from you.

Nicolas

Cool...haven't heard about the Blackberry tablet yet. Apple is, most likely, going to always have the more stable system. Having a closed off OS with only one set of hardware to develop for makes life a lot easier. Personally, I'm a fan of Open Source development and love to mess around on my phone (Motorola Atrix). Sometimes that means you get a little bug or such here and there, but it's great to develop as part of a community. If you are not careful though it is possible to ruin your device (brick it). I've been following a group of folks from xda-developers.com that are working to develop custom roms for my phone. It's really interesting to see their thought process on how to work on it. I'm actually about to flash an update to my phone right now that's suppose to work out some kinks from the last update. I think if you go to any Verizon store you can try out the Xoom tablet and maybe even the Samsung.

-Mike Craddock @mpcraddock

Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can go to store sometime to test one out.

Nicolas